Tahiti Yacht Charter Guide

The very word "Tahiti" invokes visions of an island paradise. Explore the tropical islands of French Polynesia by charter yacht - monohull or catamaran. One of our most popular bareboat sailing destinations.

Sail the magical Leeward Islands of Tahiti on a bareboat charter yacht. This is our Pacific backyard. So let us share our local knowledge and first-hand personal experiences of these great sailing waters. We will secure the boat that's right for you, assisting with all aspects of your charter, including personalised itineraries and provisioning advice to ensure just the very best holiday in one of the best destinations on Earth.

For over 25 years Sail Connections has been organising yacht charters around the French Polynesian islands of Raiatea, Taha'a, Bora Bora and Huahine.

These are the Leeward Islands, to the west of the main island of Tahiti, a sailing region that's actually better in real life than in the brochures! The Leeward Islands present majestic volcanic landscapes covered in lush tropical vegetation, each island rising steeply from its lagoon. The encircling and protective outer coral reefs are in turn dotted by small uninhabited motus (islets), fringed by white sandy beaches behind which lush green coconut palms grow. Truly an island paradise.

About Yacht Charters in Tahiti

Tahiti's Leeward Islands represent a sophisticated tourist destination where you can be as connected or as remote as you wish to be. Featuring on all these islands are the well-marked deep turquoise lagoons that provide smooth imnshore sailing, and safe, sheltered havens. Gaps in the encircling reefs give easy access to blue water and your next island.

After a pleasant day of sailing or relaxation in a picture-perfect lagoon, pick up a mooring and dine ashore at a local restaurant. Eat as the locals do, or make it five star if you wish. Or simply drop anchor in a secluded spot and BBQ aboard under a blanket of stars, savouring the peace, the serenity, the sweet ambience of this unique tropical paradise.

Raiatea

The island of Raiatea is our yacht charter hub, just a 40-minute flight from Pape'ete. The township of Uturoa is the administrative centre for the Leeward Islands, and provides your best opportunity to provision your charter yacht. We will assist you with advice on what to buy and where to get it.

According to legend, Raiatea is the sacred home of the gods, and the ancestral heart of French Polynesia. Visit the sacred sites and explore the river where the great canoes were built for their migratory voyages to Hawaii and Aotearoa/New Zealand. It remains a mystery to us why the inhabitants would chose to leave this magical island paradise. Admire the mountainous peaks of the island's south, where magnificent waterfalls cascade to the sea. Spend your first few days relaxing and acclimatising here, exploring the sheltered lagoon shared by the twin islands of Raiatea and Tahaa.

Raiatea lies within easy sight-sailing distance of the Leeward Group's other magical islands - Bora Bora and Huahine. From base it's 24 miles eastward (and to windward) to Huahine, and 22 miles northwest (and downwind) to Bora Bora.

Taha'a

Taha'a is the only island in the group that you can easily circumnavigate on your charter. The sweet tropical aromas of vanilla and frangipani permeate the air of this lush and tranquil isle. It's Taha'a 'au naturel', unfazed by the commercial world, and accessible only by boat. Ashore, wander along the coral road that winds around the waterfront and meet the friendly locals.

Take a safari tour into the hinterland to visit the vanilla plantations. It's a botanical extravaganza! Visit a pearl farm and learn all about the art of cultivation. Dinghy to the shallows of the reef and explore the sandy palm-clad islets that ring the turquoise lagoon.

" We had a great time at Ficus on Tahaa where we saw a very entertaining show and ate authentic Polynesian food which we enjoyed."

Huahine

Lure a deep-sea tuna on your windward passage to the legendary island of Huahine. Anchor your charter yacht off the village of Fare where you can top-up your supplies. Discover some of the unique qualities of a small island village, go horse riding, or take a land tour to learn about the sacred archaeological sites that mark a civilisation dating back over 1000 years. Anchor in the south of Huahine, take a beachfront stroll, and snorkel the underwater delights.

A favourite with our charter clients is the unique 'round the island tour' of Huahine Iti. You'll get to special places places you can't even go by boat!

"Totally awesome place. My wife and I enjoyed the remoteness we found in Avea Bay on Huahine. We had the place to ourselves."

Bora Bora

The fabled island where they make movies. spend some time in secluded anchorages and hop ashore to places accessible only by yacht. Sail to the eastern side, visit the Lagoonarium, then lose yourself in the blues, greens and turquoises of the beautiful lagoon itself. After you have plucked up the courage to swim with the turtles, sharks and rays here, you will announce this a highlight of your yacht charter holiday! Dine at the famous Bora Bora Yacht Club, spend a day ashore and take a bicycle, scooter or car around the island road. Ask us at Sail Connections about the location of our favourite anchorages.

Climate

Tahiti - where the water is about two degrees warmer than the air! You can sail Tahiti all year round, but the conditions are best for yacht charter between April and October, when the trade winds are blowing. In the summertime, between November and March, it is hot and humid, with less breeze blowing.

Navigation

The lagoons around Raiatea, Tahaa, Huahine and Bora Bora are well-marked for navigation, making them easy to negotiate. The system used is local, and not to be confused with international port and starboard markers. Follow “rouge a l'isle et verte a mer” - red (square) markers to land and green (triangular) markers to reef. These effectively create a passage-way within the lagoon for you to simply cruise between red and green, never going between a red mark and the island nor a green mark and the reef. Occasionally a cardinal marker will identify an isolated danger, so be familiar with cardinal marker symbols.

The buoyage system in the reef passes is per the international system (red port hand return to harbour). Tahiti has a solar tide, which means a low tide at sunrise and sunset - with an insignificant difference between low and high.

"We met some great people on our trip. The sailing provided a mix of adventure and relaxation. The natural offerings were spectacular and we enjoyed snorkeling where we saw many beautiful fish and several Manta Rays. Awesome. A trip of a lifetime."

Our Charter Services

Our Sail Connections yacht charter team members have personally sailed in Tahiti on more than 30 occasions over the past 25 years. So we are well-equipped to provide local knowledge, charter itinerary ideas and onshore connections, to ensure you get the best from your yacht charter.We will match the right charter yacht to your level of comfort, budget and any other requirements. You pay no more for our service.

On a yacht charter in Tahiti you enjoy the freedom to set your sailing plan as the mood takes. While experienced sailors have the freedom to charter bareboat, you don't actually have to be a sailor to have the holiday of a lifetime. We can provide experienced charter crew to do all the work and take all the responsibility. Your crew will also be a wealth of local knowledge, allowing you to totally relax and make the best-informed choices about things to do and places to go.

Sail Connections yacht charter services in Tahiti include personalised itineraries tailored to your requirements. We will tell you about favoured anchorages, restaurants and places to explore. We can advise on flights, transfers and accommodation before and after your charter, to ensure you make optimum connections to your yacht and get the most out of every minute of your holiday.

Enquire about Tahiti

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